WATCH: Alberta Premier Rachel Notley responds to the UCP disqualifying Lance Coulter after comments about the Soldiers of Odin.

A United Conservative Party nomination candidate has been turfed after he and his fellow challengers were photographed with an anti-immigration group linked to neo-Nazis in Europe.

The other two candidates said they didn’t realize they were meeting with the Soldiers of Odin. But Lance Coulter said he was aware of who they were and was OK with it, because he believes in free speech and felt obliged to respond to their polite conversation.

UCP executive director Janice Harrington disagreed in a letter Thursday to Coulter that advised him of his disqualification.

“A polite racist is still a racist,” wrote Harrington.

“We strongly disagree with your seemingly sympathetic assessment of Soldiers of Odin and are frankly disturbed with your cavalier attitude taken to a hate group attending a United Conservative Party event.”

WATCH: Alberta UCP Leader Jason Kenney says he is sad to see the NDP playing into “political mischief” when it comes to claims involving his party and the Soldiers of Odin.

“Our leader Jason Kenney has been clear that such hateful groups are not welcome.

“This incident has resulted in reputational harm to our party and its many members.”

The party did not make anyone available to comment about the decision.

UCP Edmonton-West Henday candidate Leila Houle, left, poses with members of the Soldiers of Odin at a UCP pub night on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018..